Your beauty routine could be having more of an impact on the environment than you think. Follow these three simple yet effective steps to make sure you’re beauty cabinet cares for the ocean.
- Avoid exfoliators that contain plastic microbeads: the beads can wreak havoc on the ocean’s ecosystem. The latest research done by Uppsala University, published in the journal Science, reports that larval fish mistakenly eat the beads, which stunts their growth and makes them more vulnerable to predators. Look for exfoliating alternatives: fruit enzymes, jojoba beads, walnut shells, coffee grinds and sugars are all ocean-friendly alternatives.
- Switch your sunscreen for a oxybenzone-free formula, as research by a group of international scientists published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology in October last year revealed the chemical is toxic to young coral and can exacerbate coral bleaching.
- With more than eight million tonnes of plastic ending up in the ocean every year, recycling skincare bottles and packaging is crucial. If you’re unsure about where and how to recycle them, enquire at local beauty counters.
